Machine for printing addresses on newspapers



UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-r

JAMES LORD, OF PAVVTUOKET, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAOHINE FOR PRINTING ADDRESSES ON NEWSPAPERS,&G.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 21,429, dated September"l, 1858.

T0 @ZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES LORD, ot Pawtucket, in the county ot Bristoland State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine forAddressing Newspapers, Pamphlets, Envelopes, and articles of a likenature; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, making part of this specilication.

Figure l is an elevation of the back part of the machine. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section of the same at. the line l l of Fig. l. Fig.3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is atop or birds-eye view ofthe ink-rollers, the frame in which they are arranged, and the parts inimmediate connection therewith. Fig. 5 is a top view of one of thetype-boxes, on an enlarged scale, detached from the cylinder. Fig. (i isa side view of the same. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same.

Similar letters in the ii gu res refer to corresponding parts.

The nature ot' this invention and improvement consists in securingspirally to the periphery of a cylinder a series of type-boxes in whichare inserted the type expressing the desired name and address andcausing the said type to be inked and revolved overa follower on whichthe paper to be impressed is placed, and which has an up-and-downmovement as well as a longitudinal one, the said cylinder of boxes andfollower being arranged in such relation to cach other and actuated bysuch a combination and arrangement of mechanical devices as will causethem to act in concert and the papers to bc imprinted by the simplelabor et placing them above the follower.

To enable others skilled in the art to malte and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The frame A is made ot' arectangular form ot' sufficient size andstrength to contain and support the several parts of the machine. Abovethis frame is placed the printing-cyl inder B, which is secured on ahorizontal shaft O, extending longitudinally from one end of the frameto the other and turning in suitable boxes at its extremities. On theperiphery of this cylinder B is secured a series of rectangular boxes D,having iianges at their ends, by which they are secured to the same byscrews, which enable them to be readily attached and detached, asoccasion may require, which boxes are open on their outer parts to admitthe type indicating the required name and address and are provided withset-screws E for securing the t'ype Within them. They are arrangedspirally around the periphery of the cylinder parallel withits axis,with their inner edges touching each other.

On one end of the shaft() is secured a cogwheel F, which meshes in gearwith a smaller cog-wheel or pinion G, turning on a stud or permanentshaft secured to the end of the frame. Outside this pinion G and to thesame is secured an additional cog-wheel G',

which meshes in gear with a smaller cogwheel H, turning on a stud orshaft, and this cog-wheel Il meshes in gear with a correspondingcog-wheel I, which in its turn gears with a smaller cog-wheel or pinionK, secured on the end of a horizontal longitudinal shaft M, turning inboxes in the frame below the top thereof. This shaft extends the wholelength of the frame, and has a screw-thread cut on its periphery nearlyits whole length, and is embraced by a pair of jaws N, having a femalescrew formed on their inner embracing portions and extendinghorizontally from a vertical slidingplate O, extendinghorizontally atits upper edge or end, so as to form a baseplate O for the support ofthe inking and distributing rollers, hereinafter described. This slidingplate O and its attachments is attached by angular lips to alongitudinal guide beam or bar O2, extending the full length of the[rame ot the machine and having angular edges which are embraced by saidlips in such a manner as to allow the same to traverse over the beam orbar OZ from end to end. On top of the horizontal base portion O ot thiscast-ing is secured a horizontal plate P, having vertical sides risingfrom its edges, and to these vertical sides are secured t-he uprightportions of right-angled castings Q, the upper horizontal portions l ofwhich are arranged parallel with and partly over the sides .of the plateP, and are provided with slots extending nearly their tull length, inwhich are inserted the tongues on the side pieces of a horizontal framea, between which is arranged a horizontal iron ink-receiving roller b,whose journals are parallel to the longitudinal timber of the vframe c,to which the angular-edged plate O is secured, and project a shortdistance beyond the faces of the sides of the plate P. Immediately belowthis roller b and on top of the plate P is placed an ink box or troughc, the sides of which extend up nearly to the journals of said rollerZJ, so as to cause its lower portion to run in the ink in said box ortrough c and to take up a portion of the same during its revolution, anyexcess of ink being taken from the periphery of the roller b and causedto descend into the ink box or trough c by the edge et' an inclinedadjustable plate Cl,secured by screws between a metallic plate g and anoscillating bar c', resting on pivots in the sides ot' the frame ft. Thesharpened edge of the plate d is made to press with greater or lessforce against the periphery of the ink-roller b by two thumb-screws f,which pass through corresponding female screws formed in the lower partof the metallic plate g and press against the horizontal portion of thebar which connects the tongue-pieces of the frame ct. This inkreceivingroller b receives its motion from a larger roller h, of wood, forconducting the ink to the distributing-roller, which roller 71 with itsperiphery touching the periphery of the ink roller or doctor b, isattached loosely on a longitudinal shaftS, extending the full length ofthe frame and turning in boxes in the end posts of the same and providedat one end outside the said frame w'ith a grooved pulleT p, around whichis passed a band T, twisted or crossed and extending around a largergrooved pulley U on the main horizontal shatt Y, whose ends project ashort distance beyond the ends of the frame. Parallel with this woodenconducting-roller his arranged a Vsmaller compositiondistributing-roller t', the journals of which rest in boxes or open ingsin the upper ends of two curved bars la, extending downward in an inelined direction inside the angular-edged plate or bar O2 and bent underthe screw-shaft M, being jointed at their lower ends to the extremitiesof a cross-head l, secured to the upright shaft m, to which the followeror platen is attached. These curved bars 7c have curvedA branches 7cextending from near their upper ends and curving upward in the form ofsegments of circles and provided with slots k2, formed in them neartheir ends, through whichv the j ournals of the ink-receiving roller ordoctor b pass, which slots k2 are in the form of segments of circlesscribed, respectively, from the center of the type-cylinder shaft C andfrom a less radius. The journals ot' the distributing-roller h passthrough curved slots a', formed in ears n, rising from the edges of thebase portion O of the plate O and extending in a curved directionbetween the upper ends of the bars k and ends of the distributingrollerh, the said slots n being made in the form of a segment of a circlescribed from the shaft of the roller h at their lower ends and in theform of a segment of a circle scribed from the center of thetype-cylinder B at their upper portions, so as to somewhat resemble acyma reversa in form and enable the periph-- ery of the said roller h tobe retained in direct contact with the periphery ot' the connducting-roller h when its journals are at the lower portions of thecurved slots n and to be moved away from 'in ascending and toward thesame in returning or lowering and parallel with the periphery of thetype-printing cylinder B when the said journals are at the upperportions of said slots fn. The horizontal shaft S has a straightgrooveformed in its periphery, extending from end to end and theconducting-roller surrounding the same is caused to revolve with it by akey or pin pro;- jecting from the bore of the roller b and entering thesaid groove, but, being loose upon the shaft, is also caused to traverseover the same with the follower or platen and other parts moving withit. The shaftS is revolved bythe cross-band T around the pulley p on itsend, and the conducting-roller h communicates motion to the inkingroller or doctor b and distributing-roller 7L. The horizontaldriving-shaft Y is arranged immediately below the axis of the type orprinting cylinder B and rests in suitable boxes secured to the lower endrails of the frame A and at any convenientpart between the top andbottom of the said frame and extends the full length of the same, and isprovided at its rear end with a small wheel V', to which is attached bya wrist-pin the end of a connecting-rod Z, whose opposite end is jointedto the lower end of a vibrating or oscillating lever p', suspended tothe frame A at its center by a pin on which it movesn as a fulcrum, andhaving a slot g at its upper end, to which the end of a pawl r isattached by a screw and nut, so as to admit of its adjustment with aView of increasing or diminishing the extent of its vibration. Theopposite end of this pawl is bent downward, somewhat after the manner ofa bill-hook, and rests on the notches of a ratchet-wheel s, secured onthe end of the screw-shaft, being -held upon the same by a spiral springt. Through the instrumentality ot' the vibrations ofthe pawl r thescrewshaft M is turned at intervals, and the printing-cylinder B isrevolved simultaneously with the movement of the ink-roller the requireddistance at each vibration to bring the type-box next in succession onsaid cylinder over the paper to be printed.

Two eccentric-cams u are secured to the main driving-shaft Y near itsends, on the edges of which rest a horizontal longitudinal bar t',having tenons formed on its ends, which enter and slide in suitablegrooves at the ends of the main frame A. The lower end of a vertical rodm rests on this bar @,Which rod passes through guides formed by curvedwings extending from the jaws N, and is provided with la cross-head Zatits lower end, having four vertical rods y secured lto a rectangularblock attached to its upper extremity, the upper ends of which entercorresponding openings in a block or platen a', on which the paper to beprinted is placed. rlhis block or platen rests on spiral springssurrounding said rods 'y for the purpose of giving it an elasticyielding motion when pressed upward against the type-boxes, and itsattachments are moved with the screw jaws or clutch l". A smallhorizontal frisket or shield E, having an opening above said platen orfollower x, corresponding` in size and form with the area of thetype-boxes, is arranged above the platen and secured to the base-plateP, on which the ink-box rests, for preventing any other part of thepaper being brought in contact with any other of the type-boxes than theone immediately above the platen or follower. A ily-wheel 2, which alsoserves as a band-wheel for driving the machine, is secured loosely onthe end of the horizontal shaft, on the h ub of which is formed aprojecting cog, against which a corresponding eogged clutch-hub on thehorizontal shaft is brought in contact when desired to run the machine,and from which it can be detached when it is required to stop themovements of the said machine. Y

The operat-ion is as follows: Motion being communicated to the maindriving-shaft Y by any convenient power, either by treadle,connecting-rod and crank, or a band around the fly-wheel l, anoscillating or vibratory motion is given to the lever p', which causesthepawl fr to be vibrated over the ratchetwheel s, and with itsvibration to the-rear causes the bent end of the pawl r to force uponthe notch of the ratchet s, with which it is in contact, which causesthe screw-shaft M, on whose end it is secured, to be turned sufficientlyto bring the type-box on the printing-cylinder B, containing the nameand address desired to be imprinted, immediately over the platen orfollower and the said platen or follower and bent plate O', containingthe ink-rollers b h t', ink-box, and other attachments, to be slightlymoved longitudinally by the action of the screw-shaft M on the screwjaws or clutch N, the inclination or spiral of the threads of the screwon the said shaft M being such in relation to the spiral arrangement ofthe type boxes and their width and extent ot their movement at eachstroke of the pawl r as to produce this effect. On the return vibrationof the lever p the pawl r moves over the notches of the ratchet swithout turning the same, and the printingcylinder B, screw-shaft M, andcog-wheels F G Gr H I K, connecting the two, remain in a state of rest,and thus enable the platen or follower x, above which the paper to beimprinted is placed, to be raised upward and pressed against the typeboximmediately above it by the action of the eccentrics 'zo raising thehorizontal bar i: and with it the vertical rod m, to which the platen orfollower is attached. During this upward movement of the platen orfollower .r the curved bars 7c are also raised, and with them thedistribnt ing-roller i, whose journals rest in openings in their ends,the said roller i being at the commencement of its upward movementcaused to move parallel with the periphery of the conducting ink-roller7L by the lower corresponding segmentof a circle-formed groove n' in theends of the ears n and curved branch bars 7o and subsequently caused tomove out-- ward from the circle on which it previously moved and pushedupward on a segment of a circle parallel with the periphery of the printing-cylinder, so as to roll its inked periphery over the box of typeagainst which it rests. In desccndingit goes through the same cymareversa movement. In this manner the operation is continued, thespirally-arranged type-boxes I) being successivelybrought over theplaten or follower .fr and the papers to be marked placed upon theshield or frisltet fc above the same and raised at the proper time andimprinted by the type in the boxes, which have been previously inked bythe distributing-roller i, until they have all been revolved over theplaten or follower and the jaws or clutch N reaches the end of thescrew-shaft M, when the pawl fr is raised from contact with theratchet-wheel s, and the inkrollers l) h t' and their attachments,including the platen or follower are quickly moved to the opposite endof the screw-shaft INI by simply turning a large cogwheel 3, turningloosely on a shaft or stud at the end of the frame A and meshing in gearwith the lower cog-wheel or pinion I, the difference in the sizes of thetwo wheels thus meshing in gear giving an increased speed to thescrew-shaft M. A fresh printing-cylinder, with boxes containingadditional names and addresses to be imprinted, may then be substitutedfor the one previously operated, or in thc event of the first cylindercontaining all the names and addresses desired the inachine may bearranged for repeating the 0peration upon an additional and fresh issueof the newspaper.

By means of this invention any number of type-boxes containing typeexpressing the names and addresses of subscribers of a newspaper can besecured on acyliuder, and these names and addresses can be speedilytransferred or imprinted upon a 4corresponding numl er of the papers bythe simple placing of them successively on the frisket or shield abovethe platen or follower and giving motion to the machine.

'What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Imprinting the names and addresses of subscribers and others onnewspapers, envelopes, rbc., by inserting type expressing such nainesand addresses in boxes secured spirally on the periphery of a revolvingcylinder B and causing the said newspapers or envelopes to besuccessively pressed against the type in the boxes by means of a platenor follower vvhich is made to act inconcert With the cylinder, 1n themanner herein described; I

2. The combination and arrangement of the connecting-rod Z, vibratinglever p', pawl r,

4. -The combination andarrangement of .the cyma-reVersa-forlned slotsnin the earsn and-ends of thebraneh rods lo of the curved bars lc Withthe distributing and conduct-ing ink-rollers h i, in the manner and forthe purpose set forth.

5. The combination of the adjustable plate d, oscillating bar c andplate between which it is secured, and graduating thumb-screws f withthe ink-receiving roller-b, as before described.

* JAMES LORD. Witnesses:

A. A. TILLINGHAST, HORACE CARPENTER.

